Category: Dessert

Halva Krembo’s

If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know about my recent trip to Israel. I posted lots of droolworthy pics of all of the delicious foods I was eating! And there was no shortage of that. Israel is the land of milk and honey – overflowing with the most amazing bounty. A single trip to the Machane Yehudah market will prove just that. You’ll find the sweetest seasonal fruits and perfect large, robust vegetables that are all farm fresh and (mostly) locally grown. The stands piled high with fresh baked pastries, the artisan breads and fluffy pillows of pita, and the hidden gems of culture at every turn are awe-inspiring.

One thing the shuk is known for is it’s halva. “Mamlechet HaHalva”, or “The Halva Kingdom” is famous for it’s amazing array of halva flavors. It is so hard to pick a favorite but the espresso, candied pecan and cinnamon are all up there!

And any of you that have walked passed the halva stand have been nudged by the famous “Halva King” to try a piece. He’s become a fixture in the shuk, gold crown and all! See my pic with him below!

The Halva Kingdom recently started making a line of flavored tahini as well. I tasted the freshly ground paste (which tastes like peanut butter) and then sampled a selection of sweet and savory flavors like tomato, pesto, nougat, chocolate, and more. The nougat was so good, I brought home a bucket!

All of the amazing flavors and aromas of the shuk inspired me to create a twist on a classic Israel snack – the KREMBO. Krembo is hebrew for “There’s Cream In It”, referring to the fluffy cream hiding under it’s chocolate coating. Krembo’s have a round biscuit base and are available in vanilla and mocha flavors. They’re wrapped up in thin foil packaging, blue for vanilla and brown for mocha.

With tahini being just about the most popular food of Israel, I was surprised they never came out with a halva flavored krembo – so I decided to do just that! I started with a sesame-flavored cookie and topped it with some tahini-flavored whipped cream. I coated it all in chocolate and decorated it with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


Creating a beautiful chocolate glaze came together easily with the amazing new brand of kosher vegan chocolate chips – California Gourmet. Their 45% cocoa chips are rich in chocolatey flavor with just the right balance of sweetness. I love how easily it melts, perfect for dipping, and it hardens quickly too. I stir in some coconut oil to create the perfect chocolate magic shell, and we use the leftovers to have a little after-school fondue dipping party!

California Gourmet chocolate chips help me keep my krembo’s pareve, without sacrificing on richness and flavor. And boy are these rich and flavorful! Halva flavored Krembo’s, here we come!

And while we are talking about homemade krembo’s, I must give a shoutout to the Balaboosta cookbook. In it, Israeli Chef Einat Admony recreates one of the favorite snacks of her childhood, you guessed it….krembo. Her homemade version of the classic (which looks incredible, by the way), gave me the push I needed to make these happen.

You see, I’m not much of a pastry girl. In fact, I don’t own a single pastry bag. When I say to fill your pastry bag with whip cream, I mean Ziploc. And I cut the corner with a scissor, the old fashioned way. That’s how I pipe people. So let me tell you – If i can make these, you most definitely can. They might look intimidating, but they are anything but. And that, my friends, is just the way I like to do things. Happy Halva-ing!

Halva Krembo’s

sesame cookies, recipe follows
tahini cream, recipe follows
chocolate magic shell, recipe follows
sesame seeds, for garnish

Method:

Place the tahini cream in a piping bag with a wide tip. Pipe the cream onto the cookies, creating a mound of cream. Place the cookies into the freezer for 20 minutes.

Pour the chocolate magic shell into a large mug. Dip the cookies into the chocolate and place on a rack set of a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and set aside to harden, or freeze until set.

If you have extra cookies, dip half of the cookie into your leftover magic shell and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place on a rack to harden.

Sesame Cookies
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, lightly packed
2 large eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, softened
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spread the sesame seeds out onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, stirring occassionally, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and coconut oil until creamy. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until incorporated. Stir in the sesame seeds.

Spread the dough out into a log on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the paper tightly, twisting the sides, to form a tight cylinder, about two inches wide. Refrigerate the dough until chilled, about 1 hour, or freeze for 20 minutes.

Slice the dough into half inch slices and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely.

YIELD: 18-20 cookies

Halva Cream
16oz. nondairy whip topping
3/4 cup tahini
honey or silan, to taste

Whip the cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the tahini until incorporated. I prefer my cream not to be too sweet, but if you’d like, you may fold in a bit of honey or silan, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

NOTE: for dairy, use heavy cream. Will require additional sweetener.

Chocolate Magic Shell
1 10 oz. bag California Gourmet chocolate chips
3 tbsp coconut oil

Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (water should not touch the bowl). Pour the chocolate into the bowl with the coconut oil and stir until melted into a smooth sauce.



Here are some photos of the things that inspired this recipe! With the Halva King, eating freshly ground tahini and surrounded by the many flavors of tahini, halva, and of course, krembo!

This post is sponsored by California Gourmet Chocolate Chips. Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  

Related Recipes: halva & ricotta stuffed figs

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Raspberry Hamantaschen Hand Pies

I can’t believe the blogosphere is already awash with hamantaschen recipes. Is it just me or has this year literally flown by?!


Purim is one of my favorite holidays, and I’m sure it is for you too! Any holiday where we get to dress up in fun costumes, eat a nonsensical amount of candy and drink until we don’t know the difference between Haman and Mordechai is fine. by. me.

Purim is about JOY and FAMILY and TRADITION and I love to shake things up with fun and exciting recipes. Last year, my drunken hasselback salami went out all out viral and my Hamantini cocktail took a festive cookie to the next level. We can’t forget my sushi hamantaschen, baklava hamantaschen, mustache glasses, and other Purim fun, all easily accessible in my Purim column. There are some really great recipes coming up as well that I can’t wait to share with you!


As you can see, I love shaking things up, and whenever I get a chance to deconstruct a traditional holiday food, I take it and run! Hybrid recipes are my all time favorite and these hamantaschen hand pies are just the thing. If you’re not familiar with hand pies, they are basically a handheld pie made with a flaky pie crust and filled with fruit filling. They’re usually folded over into a semicircle shape, but are sometimes rectangular or even round. I’ve never seen triangular hand pies so I thought they’d make the perfect hamantasch!


My first batch was not as successfull as these beauties here. At first, I just made slits in the dough, ala classic pie, but they just looked like rustic hand pies, not hamantaschen. I troubleshooted and then these were born. And I couldn’t love them any more. They’re not only rustic and adorable, they taste AMAZING too. I think I even like them more than the traditional!


Would you believe that I’ve never made real, traditional hamantaschen? I was always scared away by those sob stories where the hamantaschen opened during baking and all the jam bled out. I also love the packaged store-bought variety that is full of additivies and junk. I mean it’s Purim after all. So if you’re gonna gorge on candy, you might as well eat a hamatasch. The real, margarine and preservative kind (so says the Paleo enthusiast lol).


While we’re on the topic of fun hamantasch recipes, here are some of my favorites from around the web: rainbow hamantaschen, funfetti hamataschen, fluffernutter hamantaschen, speculoos hamantaschen, smores hamantaschen, and halva hamantaschen. I also love the idea of savory hamantaschen, Bon Appetit‘s got a great variety from around the world.

What’s your favorite version? Share it with me in the comments below!


Raspberry Hamantaschen Hand Pies

1 recipe pie crust (recipe follows)
1 recipe raspberry pie filling (recipe follows)
1 egg + 1 tbsp water, for eggwash
demerara sugar, for sprinkling
glaze, recipe follows

Method:

Roll out the pie crust and cut out triangle shapes with a cookie cutter. Repeat until you’ve used up all the scraps of dough. Reserve half to be used for the top of the hamantaschen and half to be used for the bottom. Using the triangles that you reserved for the top, cut a tiny triangle in the center of each with a sharp knife.

Fill each of the triangles that you reserved for the bottom with about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry pie filling. Brush the edges of the dough with water and top each one carefully with the triangles that you reserved for the top. Using a fork, press down all around the dough to seal. Brush with eggwash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze.

For Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup ice water

Method:

Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and continue to pulse until the mixture is the texture of a coarse meal. Add the water and blend until the dough comes together in clumps. Form the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.

For Raspberry Pie Filling:
6 oz fresh raspberries
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp lemon
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Method:

Place the raspberries, sugar and lemon in a small saucepan. Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add to the pot. Cook the mixture over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until raspberries are soft and the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool.

NOTE: You may use frozen raspberries as well. If needed, add an additional teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a tablespoon of water to thicken up the juices.

For Glaze:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 tsp milk or water
splash of vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together until the powdered sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick, but slightly runny.

VARIATION: Try the filling with other berries, or use canned pie filling or jam for a quick and easy substitute. For the drizzle, you may also use white or dark chocolate.



Related Recipes:

date and almond marzipan hamantaschen
baklava hamantaschen
sushi hamantaschen
savory hamantaschen trio
The Hamantini

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Blogoversary Funfetti Cake


The past few months have been a whirlwind! Case in point: I actually made this funfetti cake for my son’s first birthday back in November, but I didn’t have a chance to blog about it until now. I’m sure he won’t mind if I share it with you all in honor of my FOUR YEAR BLOGOVERSARY. Yippee!


It almost makes me tear up a little to think about it, but I can’t believe I’ve actually been blogging consistently for four. whole. years. That’s one thousand, four hundred and sixty days of thinking, dreaming and writing about my food memories and adventures in the kitchen.


Four years in, I can honestly say, I have never been so proud of what I’ve accomplished. Just sticking with something, and not getting bored of it is a testament to having found my niche in life. And you guys – my awesome, amazing fans, who have constantly encouraged me with your emails, comments and feedback – you keep me on my toes, always pushing me to dream up something bigger and better!


And I could never have dreamed up what this year would bring! Writing an ebook (and selling hundreds of copies!), a video series with TorahCafe, Joining the Blogher and Culinary Content Network, Features on The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Cosmo and The Daily Meal, friendships with food bloggers, The front page of The Wall Street Journal, a spot on The Meredith Vierra Show, my own magazine column (info coming soon), a social media campaign with a huge brand (info coming soon) and relationships with kosher food brands that I’m honored to represent.


It was such a thrill watching some of my recipes go viral this year. My drunken hasselback salami was by far the hit of the year, with poutine latkes and cauliflower nachos coming in at a close second.


What shocks me more than anything is how much I have been recognized this year. I get stopped in restaurants and groceries in all different communities, by people from all walks of life. It’s weird to be perceived as somewhat of a celebrity, but also so humbling. I love when people come up to me and tell me how much they love following my instagram, or how it’s not Shabbos without my hasselback salami. It truly makes my day. And my week. And my year.


Over the last few months, I’ve been working hard on living a healthier lifestyle by adopting a mostly Paleo diet. I completed (almost) 3 rounds of the Whole30 cleanse and I’m about to embark on my first half-Marathon! I’m walking to support the work of The Friendship Circle, an amazing organization that does so much to help children with special needs. When I started training 2 months ago, I could barely walk a mile, and now I feel strong and ready to tackle a 13-mile walk/run. I would love if you could support my efforts by donating towards my run and the work of The Friendship Circle, here.


In the past year, I’ve also watched my youngest grow from a baby to an infant (who’s 1st birthday cake we are celebrating here) and I learned to deal with difficult food allergies for the first time. I cut the adorable JewFro off my older son at his upshernish, and I watched my two beautiful daughters continue to grow into the young girls they are becoming.


It’s not easy juggling work and family, but one of the realizations I came to this year was that I CAN’T DO IT ALL. I am learning to let go and realize that it’s ok if my house isn’t always picture-perfect, and no-one will starve if I order take-out every once in a while, and most importantly, it’s ok to ask for help.


As I enter into my fifth year of blogging, I’m filled with excitement for the many new opportunities my blog has opened for me. I’m looking forward to continuing my journey of creative expression and Jewish pride with many more healthy, kosher and inspired recipes that will nourish my family, and especially, my fans.

Now, a little bit about this cake! Y’all know I’m not much of a baker, so I love any easy recipe that looks adorable and comes together in no time. That’s where this no-mixer, super-easy yellow cake comes into play. It’s my go-to for quick party cupcakes, an iced sheet cake, or my favorite, a bundt cake, spruced up with sprinkles. Molly Yeh’s sprinkle experiment is what inspired this funfetti version, and it makes the perfect quick party cake for a baby birthday, kids party or apparently, a 4 year blogoversary ;)

Funfetti Birthday Bundt Cake

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 cup orange juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup colored sprinkles, plus more for decorating

Icing:
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
6 tsp milk or water
splash of vanilla

Method:

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients besides for the sprinkles. Fold in the sprinkles and pour the batter into a well-greased bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 50 minutes – 1 hour). Cool completely and unmold onto a cake platter. Mix the icing ingredients and pour over the cake. Top with more sprinkles.

What were some of your favorite recipes on Busy In Brooklyn this year? Share them with me in the comments below!

Secret Restaurant Recipes Review & Giveaway

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about a cookbook. Like ever. It probably has a lot to do with my affinity for eating out. And beautiful food photography. And superb design. And impeccable styling. In a word, this book is: PERFECTION.

And I’d expect nothing less from seasoned cookbook writers Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek. Leah is the author of Fresh & Easy Kosher Cooking, while Victoria is the managing editor of Whisk magaizne. Together, they coauthored the Made Easy cookbook series including Starters & Sides Made Easy, Passover Made Easy, Dairy Made Easy and Kids Cooking Made Easy. When I heard they were working on a new cookbook, I wondered what they would be “making easy”, but I never imagined it would be restaurant recipes!

As a true foodie, I’ve eaten at many a kosher restaurant, and I was surprised to see just how many amazing kosher restaurants are covered in this book (over 70!). From Tierra Sur in Oxnard, California (one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had), to Rare in Miami Beach, FL (love their crab cakes) and Pizza Pita in Montreal (I always wondered how they make their poutine!). There’s also Carlos & Gabby’s in New Jersey (who doesn’t love their crispy chicken fingers?!) and New York favorites like Amsterdam Burger Co. (the breakfast burger is incredible!), Reserve Cut (I always orders the short rib tacos!) and my favorite local places like Basil Pizza & Wine Bar (they serve up their famous basil fries just up the street), Mason & Mug (I’ve been reinventing their deviled kale salad forever!), and Pardes (wish they would have included their smoked paprika popcorn recipe). Restaurants in England, Israel, Italy, Mexico and even Panama, are also included.

It’s so exciting to get a sneak peek behind some of the establishments that we regularly frequent. And Secret Restaurant Recipes is about more than just the recipes. It also includes tips and techniques from today’s top kosher chefs. I was surprised to see that some of the recipes are fairly easy, while others are more involved. When I first looked through the cookbook and had a craving for Reserve Cut’s short rib tacos, I just got up and went to the restaurant! On the other hand, Pizza Pita’s poutine was so ridiculously easy, I was able to make it quickly at home.

Thanks to the generosity of Artscroll/Mesorah Publications, I’m sharing 2 recipes from the book here. I recently did a demo at a chinese auction where Victoria Dwek also demonstrated the eggplant chicken from Segal’s Oasis Grill in Phoenix, Arizona. It smelled so incredible, I just knew I had to include it! I’m also sharing a dessert recipe from Bagels & Greens because if their donuts are any indication, these brownies are going to be a real treat!

Purchase Secret Restaurant Recipes on Amazon.

Read a review of Everyday Secret Restaurant Recipes.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Of course, I’m also giving away a FREE COPY of Secret Restaurant Recipes! To enter, simply leave a comment below about your favorite kosher restaurant dish. For an extra entry, follow Busy In Brooklyn via any of the channels below. Just be sure to leave a note in the comment letting me know where you follow.

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest 

Giveaway is open to U.S. residents (for international entries, prize can only be shipped in the U.S.). Winner will be chosen at random at 10:00 AM EST on Tuesday, January 6th, 2015.

Eggplant Chicken in Garlic Sauce (Segal’s Oasis Grill, Phoenix, Arizona)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

1 lb. eggplant, cut into 1 1/2″ chunks
kosher salt, for sprinkling
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp cornstarch, for dredging
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1/4 tsp chili pepper flakes
1/3 cup shredded carrots
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Dark Sauce:
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cornstarch

1. Sprinkle eggplant chunks with salt; allow to rest for 20-30 minutes (this process will prevent eggplant from soaking up too much oil during frying). Rinse salt from eggplant and drain well.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl,whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, black pepper and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Prepare the chicken: Place cornstarch into a shallow dish; toss the chicken in cornstarch to coat very well.
4. Heat 3-inches of oil in a wok or 1-inch oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add chicken to hot oil and pan-fry until golden, 2-3 minutes  per side. Remove from oil and set side.
5. Add the eggplant to the same pan and fry until light golden, 2-3 minutes. Remove from oil and set aside. Discard oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the wok or pan.
6. Add garlic and chili pepper flakes and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Return chicken and eggplant to the pan. Add carrots and sauce and stir-fry for 2 minutes, coating all the ingredients well with the sauce.

Praline Brownies (Bagels & Greens, Brooklyn, NY)
from Secret Restaurant Recipes by Leah Schapira and Victoria Dwek
Reprinted with permission from the copyright holders: ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications http://www.artscroll.com/Books/srrh.html

8 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
1 1⁄3 cups (11 oz) sugar
1 cup (5 oz) flour
1⁄2 cup (2 oz) cocoa
1⁄2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp nut extract (optional)
2 tsp praline extract (optional)
7 oz white chocolate, coarsely chopped
chocolate frosting, (recipe follows)
chocolate and white chocolate curls, for garnish

Chocolate Frosting:
10 oz milk chocolate
4 Tbsp praline paste*
4 oz mixed crunchy nuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed 9 x 13­inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt chocolate with the butter.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip eggs and sugar at high speed for 5-­6 minutes.
4. Carefully pour in melted chocolate mixture. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix until mixture is smooth and shiny, about 4 minutes. Add in extracts, if using. Fold in white chocolate.
5. Pour batter into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes (the edges should be hard, top cracked,
6. Prepare the frosting: Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Add praline paste and mix until combined. Gently pour over the top of the cake. Tilt the pan sideways until entire cake is fully covered.
7. Sprinkle nuts or chocolate curls on top. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, until frosting is set. Let cool before slicing into bars.

*Praline paste is made from hazelnuts/filberts and sugar, ground into a paste.

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Gelt Hot Chocolate

I’m super excited for this Chanukah blog post because WE’RE HAVIN’ A PARTY! Albeit a virtual one, but we can still have fun, right?! And all parties have to have prizes, so there’s a great GIVEAWAY too!

I got together with a few other bloggers to create a virtual menu and I was assigned the drinks. Now when I think of Chanukah, I imagine sitting by the lights of the Menorah, snuggled up under a warm blanket, sipping hot chocolate and singing Chanukah songs. The kids are around me playing draidel (ok, fighting over draidel), and my husband is frying latkes in the kitchen. Yes, Chanukah is just about the only time I let him take over and make a mess! He learned to make perfect crispy fried latkes when he was in Yeshiva in Israel and I don’t mind getting a little break from cooking so the kitchen’s all his (for at least a night..or two).

While hubby hosts a fryfest, I like to mix up a warm drink – some mulled wine, spiced apple cider, or gelt hot chocolate, obviously. I came up with this fun Chanukah version of hot chocolate based on a drink that my friends and I used to order at a place called Cafe K, back in the old days. Cafe K is still around, and they might still serve it! It was called “Torino Hot Chocolate”, after the chocolate bar that was used to make it. They’d take a whole bar of this chocolate and pour hot milk over it, and that was it! It was a dreamy confection and we’d save up our calories to splurge on it in the winter. It would warm us up from the inside out and we’d relish each and every sip!

I thought it would be fun to do the same with some chocolate Chanukah gelt! It makes a great party drink – just put out a vase filled with chocolate gelt, an urn of hot milk, and an endless selection of toppings and you’ve got yourself an amazing hot chocolate bar that will be the talk of  your Chanukah party!

And now for the rest of our virtual party menu, check out the mouthwatering dishes from these talented bloggers:

Appetizer:  Turkish Lentil Soup by Samantha from The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Main: Roasted Jalapeno and Cheddar Strata by Melinda from Kitchen Tested
Side: Mac and Cheese Latkes by Miriam from OvertimeCook
Dessert: Deep Fried Rugelach by Amy from What Jew Wanna Eat

Gelt Hot Chocolate

3 bags (3 oz.) good quality chocolate coins (I use Belgian chocolate gelt)
1 cup whole milk (or half cream, half milk)
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
whipped cream, for topping
cinnamon stick, for serving
additional chocolate gelt, for serving

Method:

Unwrap the chocolate gelt and place on the bottom of a glass. Bring the milk up to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir until chocolate is fully melted and incorporated. Top with whipped cream and serve with a cinnamon stick and chocolate gelt.

VARIATIONS:

For coffee hot chocolate, omit cinnamon and add 1 tsp coffee and an extra tsp of sugar
For vanilla hot chocolate, omit cinnamon and add 1 tsp vanilla extract or heat up milk with 1 vanilla pod, scraped

TOPPING IDEAS:

whipped cream, marshmallows, crushed cookies, crushed graham crackers, brownies, coconut, candied nuts, candied citrus rind, crushed peppermint candy, sprinkles, fresh mint.

And now for the exciting part – the prizes! We’re giving away 2 separate packages – a cookbook package sponsored by Artscroll and a Gourmet Kosher Foodie Package sponsored by Nomoo cookies and California Gourmet. Enter to win below. Happy Chanukah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Other Festive Hot Drinks: Mulled Wine
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